Almost half (47%) of American adults are making sacrifices to make ends meet, and 44% say their household’s financial health is strained, according to research from IRI [pdf]. The study reveals that Retirees & Seniors are the least likely to have to make sacrifices and be under financial strain, while a majority of Millennials are facing those realities.

Indeed, fully 58% of younger Millennials say that their household’s financial health is strained, as do 48% of older Millennials. Interestingly, such financial hardship isn’t limited to Millennials, despite their below-average incomes and net worth. In fact, almost half (48%) of younger Boomers also said that their household’s financial health is strained, and this group was the most likely (34%) to report having difficulty affording needed groceries. Perhaps it’s due to their having Millennials back in the home: fully 55% of 18-24-year-olds live in their parents’ home, per Census Data.

One thing seems clear, though: youth are the most likely to be engaging in deal-seeking behavior when buying groceries. Some three-quarters of younger Millennials say they tend to buy products in bulk to get a lower price per serving, a figure that declines with each successive age group, all the way down to 48% of Retirees & Seniors. Likewise, 80% of younger Millennials generally buy the lowest-price item when buying groceries, a figure which also recedes alongside increasing age, down to half of Retirees & Seniors.

Shoppers are also engaging in money-saving preparations, with youth once again the most apt to do so. Virtually all (95%) younger Millennials buy private label options, and 86% try new, lower-priced brands. Younger Millennials are also the most likely to download coupons from a retailer/manufacturer website, a result that aligns with other research indicating that Millennials are avid coupon users.

But while youth appear to gravitate towards lower-priced options, there’s at least one way beyond price to influence their purchase behavior, per the report.

That impact comes from reviews. A majority of both younger (53%) and older (57%) Millennials claim that they would switch to a new brand if they read a good review online. They’re not alone, as a majority (53%) of Gen Xers would do the same, though only a minority of Boomers and Seniors count reviews as being that influential.

About the Data: The results are based on an online survey of 2,100 US adults (18+). The generational age breaks are as follows: Younger Millennials: born 1990+; Older Millennials: born 1981-89; Gen Xers: born 1965-80; Younger Boomers: born 1956-64; Older Boomers: born 1946-55; Retirees & Seniors: born before 1946.